Massage and heat applicator



May 12, 1953 C, C, CURTls 2,638,527

MASSAGE AND HEAT APPLICATQR Filed June 8, 1948 N N S3 FIG 3.

gwvo/wtw Cacu. CLAUD CUR-ns l b 22 l Patented May 12, y1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE nj a Gemendins application. Serial Number 315674', executed of even .dat herewith.. .an applicator for' massage accompanied by heat or cold treatment of' portions oi the human. body', is disclosed and illustrated. With the device ,referred to it is intended that av1 cooling .mediur'nor a heating medium mayal'ternatively be .employed atjthe option of the operator.

j As. distinguished from the broader' or more comprehensive spirit of the 'invention claimed in the companion Case. .the instant invention has for its primary object the provision .of .a .device ofthe general character referred to., primarily devoted or restricted tola heating phase of the implement.

' The characteristi'cr feature .of the present inventon is. a simple' ineXDensive. and eiicien't means .Gnstituting .a heating unit coni-ined with-` in a tubular handie portion or grip of the implement, .having open communication with the hollow 'head thereof, and replaceable for purposes of substitution or repair for imparting the desired heat to the head orti-"eating portion .ci the. implement.

l'he .invention .further .cnmprises meansL .for automa'i'fical-ly controlling the vhea-it or thermal operating jcondition of the implement wherel it may be desired to obviate reliance solely ony the operatoror patient so that,. tm'd'er any conditions, therewill be a limit, tothe' heating. of the implementor applicator; andranancllary Ifeatureoii fthe. heat control means being that. .the same constitutes a portionipi thefremovab'lel'heating. `:unit that' may be lreadily withdrawn. orY inserted into the implement.

`anotilier characteristic of the implement is a visible-.means formed with ythe portionwoi the implement enclosing a heating light bulb or an equivalent heating resistance coil, through which the glow or illumination of the bulb or coil may be apparent to the operator to assure the operator that the implement is in proper working condition.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, with one modified embodiment thereof, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and the same will be readily understood from an inspection of said drawings together with the specific description thereof hereinafter contained.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of the implement containing the removable heating unit.

Figure 2 is a similar longitudinal section on a line at right angles to that of Figure l.

asf

Eigure is' a longitud al' sectional view ofthe removaihie heating. unit detached from the impleurent- 'Figure e isla .fragmentary sectional View 0f thev implement provided with a combined heating coil and thermostat in lieu of' the heating lamp element of the other iigures.

Referring more' specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate. .corresponding parts in the several views .5 Adesighates the tubular .or hollow ,handle or grip p0rtion of the implement by which the lsame may be manipulated with respect .to the ailing part to be treated, the' same' having a. threaded extension '6 adapted' t0' .receive the complementary collar 'T of the 'hollow head', 8 the interior 0f which opens to the hollow handle or grip. The grip 5. and yhead 8 Aare formed oi metal such as steel or aluminum and the head 4S has .the laterally extended' branches 9 and. EU. provided with'` smali escapeiapertures fl to facilitate circulation. of air lthrough the hollow head.

The branches 9 and i0 oi the head are curved to have the conguraton shown in Figures 1 and 2, so that the operating or contact face I thereof eoncaved toward the handle- `5L in order to combine; with ltheAcura-vturelgenerally present ap'ortionoi thebedy to-betreatedf, for examples', the. neck, face, or legs; etc'. To avoid any harsh contact or impediment toi the manipula.- tionioi :the `implement Aover `the shin' of the' patient, Lthe 'head :8l throughout' its exten-t isA rounded. .transyerseiyvat the; ends thereof to eliminate corners wedges; as= apparent fromlFigure 2'; |`3

denoting the curvature' or theA outer surface of thetarins .1:4 'the''snr-facer off the intermediate or .connecting portiomothe.- said arms-1 On the interior of the grip or handle 5 there is a shoulder I5 facing that end I6 of the grip opposite to the headed end thereof. The opening I7 through the grip or handle being of slightly greater and uniform diameter leading to said shoulder than that portion of the opening I8 of uniform, but slightly reduced diameter, constitutes a receiving chamber for the reception of a heating element or unit now to be denned. Said unit comprises a cylinder it of insulating material, with insulated wir-e terminal supporting means 20 inserted in one end (Figure 3), the insulated wiring being shown at 2| and 22, leading to an ordinary or preferred incandescent lamp 23, the latter having the customary stem 24 screwed into a metal thimble 25, carried by an insulated cap 26 at the end of the cylinder I9. The near ends of the Wires 2| and 22 are in the customary electrical communication with the 3 filament of the lamp or bulb 23 as at exposed or uninsulated portions 21a, and 22a of the otherwise insulated wires 2| and 22.

In inserting this unit just described in the grip or handle 5, the lamp bulb 23 may be removed and the balance of the unit intact inserted through the bottom of the handle when the lamp bulb 23 may be restored to the unit, the head 8 being removed temporarily for that purpose. Of course, when the bulb is relatively smaller than that illustrated, the same may be attached to the unit before it is inserted in the grip or handle. When the heating unit is seated in the handle the same is held in place by a clamping ring 21 having threaded engagement with the end I6 of the grip or handle, which will effect a preferable or convenient to employ the resistance coil 29, illustrated in Figure 4, the operation of which is Well understood in the art, the same being a resistance wire introduced in the electrical circuitand wound or supported upon a core of suitable substance, such as porcelain 30. enable the operator to know that the implement is in heating state, a small disc of transparent plastic material 3| is screwed into one side wall of the head, as at 32, and by this means the illumination of the bulb 23 or glow from the coil 29 may be seen.

At times it may be desirable to have a thermostat associated with the heating unit to prevent extreme heat imparted by the lamp or coil to the threaded head 8 or to constantly maintain a given thermal temperature of the head. To these ends the thermostat 33 (Figure 3) is provided.

In the instance of the device of Figure 4, the

porcelain core 30, on which the resistance wire 1 29 is coiled, is hollow and the thermostat 33 is carried on the interior thereof, circulating openings 34 being formed for air passage through the hollow core or shell.

I claim:

1. In a massage and heat applicator, a hollow arcuate head portion, an elongate tubular hand grip joined at one end to the center of the convex side of the head portion and opening into the same, a cylinder of insulation material of approximately the same length as and tting snugly in the hand grip, an electric heating element supported in the joined end of the cylinder and projecting into the head portion, a wire terminal supporting means secured in the other end of the cylinder, electric current conductors extending through the cylinder from said terminal means to said heating element, said cylinder being insertible into and removable from the hand grip through the end thereof opposite from the head portion, and an annular retaining element secured in the last mentioned end of the hand gllp.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, with engaging opposed shoulders between the joined end of the cylinder and the wall of the hand grip limiting the extent of movement of the cylinder inwardly of the hand grip and thereby lX the operative relation of said heating element with respect to the interior of the head.

3. In a massage and heat applicator, an elongated arcuate hollow head portion, an elongate tubular hand grip joined at one end to the center of the convex side of the head portion and opening into the same, a cylinder of insulation material extending through the major portion of the length of the hand grip, a cylindrical cap of insulation material on the end of the cylinder adjacent to said head portion, the cap having an axial bore and `a portion of external diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the cylinder forming' a shoulder, the hand grip having an internal shoulder engaged by said cap shoulder, a threaded metal thimble within the cap, an electric heating element threaded into said thimble and projecting into the head portion, a wire terminal supporting means secured in the other end of the cylinder, electric current conductors extending through the Cylinder and electrically connecting with the heating element, said cylinder being insertible into and removable from the hand grip through the end thereof opposite from the head portion, and means removably secured in the last mentioned end of the hand grip for retaining the cylinder in position therein.

CECIL CLAUD CURTIS.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,052,097 Schwartz Feb. 4, 1913 1,433,286 Kannenstine Oct. 24, 1922 1,628,272 Reitz May 10, 1927 1,663,078 Harper Mar. 20, 1928 1,690,926 Dequer Nov. 6, 1928 1,782,005 Grison Nov. 18, 1930 1,820,799v Hazlett et al Aug. 25, 1931 1,970,642 Batchelder Aug. 21, 1934 2,021,732 Lipsner Nov. 19, 1935 2,183,726 Sommer et al Dec. 19, 1939 2,201,703 Sage May 21, 1940 2,214,084 Lovice Sept, 10, 1940 2,432,106 Wesely Dec. 9, 1947 2,456,030 Solms Dec. 14, 1948 

